Straw packaging machine



Nov. 7, 1950 J. B. WEST STRAW'PACKAGING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1946 INVENTOR, John 3. West,

ATTORNEY,

J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE Nov. 7, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1946 mm R WWW. s aw E 5 m llll 1 NM 3 5F; H

ATTOHNEL,

Nov. 7, 1950 Y J. B. WEST 2,528,930

' STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1946 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 y AF fl INVENTOR,

Johnfl West,

ATTORNEY,

10 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, Jbhn B. Wesfl ATTORNEY.

Nov. 7, 1950 J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE [116d June 14, 1946 Nov. 7, 1950 J. BrwEsT STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE 1O Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 14, 1946 120 M1 :LZ-

INVENTOR John B. Wesi,

E N w W A Nov. 7, 1950' J. B. WEST 2,528,930

's'rRAw PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Juhe 14, 1946 1o Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR, Jbhn B. West ATTORNEY.

Nov. 7, 1950 J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June 14, '1946 INVENTOR, $7701 ,5 West, BY

ATTORNEY- Nov. 7, 1950 J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 14, 1946 v INVENTOR,

Jbhn B. WesZ, By

T I l 2 ATTOR rigv.

Nov. 7, 1950 J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE Filed June 14, 1946 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR,

' Jbhn B. West ATTORNEY.

J. B. WEST STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE Nov. 7, 1950 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed June 14, 1946 INVENTOR, l Jhn 15. We t ATTOHNEY- Patented Nov. 7, 1950 STRAW PACKAGING MACHINE John B. West, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Maryland Paper Products Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application June 14, 1946, Serial No. 676,759

' 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for forming wrappers, placing one or more straws therein and sealing the ends of the wrappers.

More particularly the invention relates to certain new and useful improvements made to the Toolan Straw Packaging Machine of Letters Patent #2,l46,490 issued February 7, 1939.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved means for cutting the continuous wrapper into sections of predetermined lengths and pushing them into a dropping device which drops the wrappers into the rotary wrapper receiver; also to provide an improved and simplified wrapper dropping device.

Again it is an object to provide certain improvements in the straw hopper and to provide a machine that can be adapted for packaging straws of different lengths.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends invention also resides in the novel details of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts all of which will be first described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 1 when joined on the lines A-B, comprise a top plan view of that portion of a straw packaging machine which contains my invention.

Figs. 2 and 2 when joined on the lines a-b, comprise a vertical cross section on the line A--B in Fig. 1*.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical cross section on the line 33 of Fig. 1*.

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section of the wrapper-severing (scissors) device taken substantially on the line 44 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation looking from right to left in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section on the line 1'! of Fig. and looking from left to right in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 9 is an elevation of the transmission gearin and gear box with the cover removed.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line I0I0 of Fig. 9.

Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, are somewhat diagrammatic views illustrating different positions of parts hereinafter specifically referred to.

Fig. 15 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of one of the wrapper receiving members of the rotary carrier.

Fig. 16 is a plan view of one of the wrapper- Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 17, showing another form of wrapper-engaging member.

Fig. 21 is a front elevation of the same.

Fig. 22 is a detail perspective View of the eccentric shaft hereinafter referred to.

Fig. 23 is a detail side elevation of the mandrel and its associated elements.

Fig. 24 is an enlarged cross section on the line 2424 of Fig. 23.

In the drawings in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, l

represents the bed of the machine which is supported on standards (not shown) similarly to i the bed I of the Toolan machine.

Mounted on the bed I is a casting having a.

bearing 6 projects from one leg 3 and, in con-] nection with another bearing 35, supports the main shaft 5. The shaft 5 is held against longibase 2, spaced legs 3 and a head block 4.

tudinal movement by collars ID, with set screws,

and located one at each side of bearing 6 (Fig.

1*); Fixed collars H and I2 are mounted on shaft 5 and determine the longitudinal setting of the shaft for short or long straw operation.

Spaced apart a predetermined distance (depending on the length of straws to be packaged) are two spiders l which are firmly secured to the shaft 5 'and have arms 8 each carrying a pair of spaced-apart wrapper carrying members 9/ The members 9 of one spider lining up with those of the other spider in directions paralleling the" shaft 5. A

As will best be seen by reference to Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, the wrapper receiving members 9. are of generally semi-tubular form and include leading edges 9* and following edges 9*. The leading edges 9 are closer to the center of the shaft 5 than are the following edges 9 following edges 16 It will also be noted that the opening or mouth of the catcher 16 is directedl-aterally'while the opening or mouth of the wrapper receiving member 9 is directed approx m t ly radiall so that the mouth of the.

It will also be observed that the wrapper catcherslli are of semi-tubular form and the leading edges 15 lie farther from the center of 5| than do the' catcher 76, when the catcher is in the wrapper placed position Fig. 13, is approximately at right angles to the mouth of the receiving member 9. When in this position it will be observed that the leading edge 16* of the catcher 16 is nearer the center of the shaft 5 than is the following edge 16 and the following edge 16 extends a greater distance from the center of the axle 5 slidebarsa-nd straw pushers. The discs Id to 11,.

inclusive, are secured to the shaft awhile: disc 13 is a ring-like disc and ridesthe periphery of the cam cylinder 23.

Pairs of guide bars 18 are secured to the discs l3- and Id, at l8 (Fig. Between thesezguide bars [8 the slide bars [9 operate;

The slide bars t9 are guided in slots in the discs l4, It; It and H to which theslide bars are keyed, as in the Toolan patent aforesaid. Cross heads 29 operate between and are-keyed tothe guide bars l8 and have push bars 2! connected to-the cross heads and lying inthe grooves ofthe slide bars, being keyed to'the slide bars as in the Toolan patent aforesaid by Wings 22. The cam cylinder 23 has a groove 24 for operating the push bar and a. groove 25 for operating the slide. The cam drum or cylinder 23 is held from turning with shaft 5, by a lock screw- 32 carried; by a bracket 33.. The construction of the" parts 13 to 25-may'besubstantially the same as corresponding parts ofthe- Toolan machine and: per se'are not of my invention.

7 In the present machine; however, the funnel. member (numbered 27 in the Toolan patent) isreplacedby the wrapper-engaging member 26' shown in detailin Figs. 16 et al. This member, includes a bell portion 21"on the front of an up' nel'member just described as that is not a part of my invention.

34 designates a housing for the gearing that connects'a driving shaft (first motion) with the several operatingshafts 5, 39 and 8|, see Figs. 9'

and 10 by reference to which it will be seen that the shaft 5 carries a large spur gear 36 and a smaller spur gear 31, the former meshing with a pinion 96 on an idler shaft 94 and the latter meshing with a pinion 38 on a delivery shaft 39:. The housing has a bearing 99' for shaft 39, and other bearings 85 and 91 for other shafts which shall later again be referred to. A cover 99 is provided for the housing, which cover has a' socket I99 to receive the end of shaft 5' When it is projected 'thereinto when the shaft. is moved t9 4 bring collar II against collar I!) on adaptin the machine for packaging long straws. (As shown in the drawings the machine is adapted for packaging short straws.)

The shaft 39 extends along the machine and is journalled in bearings in brackets 45. It carries suitably spaced and located knurling rolls 40; and a pair of discs 4.! having lifting and dischargin arms 42 which cooperate with guide and stripping fingers 43 secured to a rod 4 located above the shaft 39. The rod 99 is fixedly secured in the bearing posts 45. The arms 42 deliver the packaged straws onto inclined rods 55 which are carried by a rod 56 held in brackets 51, secured by cap screws 58 to the bed. The rods 55 convey the packages to the receiver 99.

Transversely adjustably mounted on the supports 45 are brackets 60 each having bearing portions 6| in which is pinned a short shaft 92 carrying a sleeve bearing 63 of a bell crank lever 64 66.. Each lever. leg 66 carries on astud 68; a

freely rotatable knurling rollerBl. The rollers 61 respectively cooperate withthe rollers 49 to effectively seal the wrapper 'endsas in V the patented Toolan machine. The adjusting'arms 64- of the bell crank lever are provided to cooperate with springs H3 in sockets and E59, and adjusting screwsll are also provided.

Arms 48 having bearing sleeves-46 are rockably held in place on the rod 54 by collars Al. The arms 48 'at their free ends have sleeves 49 to hold a rod H which rod is pinned to" the sleeves 49 as at 50-. The sleeve 46 also has. an: arm 52 which adjustably carries a cam-engaging roller 53-. This roller is held in engagement with a cam 54 on the shaft 39*by a spring 12 enon the rod 5| that the catcher and dropper l5 will'pass betweenthe furcations of the arms 8 of the rotary carrier spiders .(see Fig;. I 19 are the wrapper restraining guides which prevent the wrappers from falling out 0f the wrapper-receiving members 9 as the carrier rotates. Anabutment 50 is provided against which the following ends of the wrappers are held when the members 2'1 are brought into engagement" with the forward ends of the wrappers prior to the straws being pushed into the wrappers.

The shaft 8| (which corresponds to the shaft 2'! 9 of the Toolan patent) operates the paper printing, feeding and wrapper forminamechanisms. As'the printing mechanism is no part of the present invention it has not been illustrated in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification. The shaft BI is journalled in suitable bearings 32 and I 4| and carries a spur gear 83 which meshes with a gear on a countershaft M ,i'ournal-ledih bearing 85. The countershaft carries a sprocket 81, which is driven from the first motion shaft (not shown) by a chain 88. The shaft 84 also carries a spur gear as which meshes with a gear 9! on an idler shaft 99. A

The wrapper severing mechanism which comprises an essential feature of my invention will best be understood by reference to Figures 1 and 3 to 6, inclusive. Mounted on a slide rod I23 by pins I and a cap screw or bolt I24 is a bracket IOI, I22 having ears I02 in which the scissors carrying bolt I 03 is held by a nut I01. The scissors backs I04 are pivoted on the bolt I03 and held together yieldably by the use of a tensioned washer I 06. Each back carries a suitably tempered and sharpened blade I05. Each back I04 also has an arm I08. The arms I08 extend in opposite directions and are engaged by the cam ends I12 of a pair of fingers III carried by a rod or stem II 4 which is mounted to slide in a bearing II5 of the bracket IOI. The arm I08 has its end slotted as at I09 to receive an end of a spring I2 I. The said end is anchored in the'slot by a pin I I9. The fingers I I I are similarly slotted and also have spring-receiving sockets H3 in which the springs I2I lie. The other ends of the springs I2I are anchored to the bearing II5 by pins or posts I20. The outer end of the stem IE4 is drilled and tapped, as at II6, to receive a hea ed screw II1 which is adjustable and held locked by a nut H9.

The head I I8 of the screw I I1 engages the head I 49 of a bell crank lever I 48 that is pivoted at I41 to a bracket I45 that is mounted on the support 4. The lever I48 has a roller I50 that is held in engagement with a cam I5! on shaft 8!, by a sprin I52. The cam effects the closing and affects t e openin of the scissors, the closing being aff cted by the springs I2I. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that the head I49 is elongat d to allow for the travel of the severing devices with the wrapper for a predetermined distance.

Y The bar I23 is mounted in a slot I26 in the head 4, covered by a plate I21 (Fig. 3) and'at its end remote from the bracket IElI it has an angled extension I having a hole through which passes a in 5 3 that is secured to the head 4. A spring I44 cont nuousl tends to move the bar I23 toward its normal rest position (right hand side Fig. 1

The bar I22 carries a stud I28 on which is pivoted a slide block I29 which moves in the fork of a lever I80. The lever I30 is pivoted on a, stud shaft :32 between a boss I3I and'a collar I33 and held by a nut I84. The lever also carries a camengaging roller I32 that engages a cam I31 on a shaft I36 that is mounted in bearings I35 in the su port 2, 8 hereinbefore mentioned. The shaft I36 carries abevel gear I39 which meshes with a bevel gear I40 on the shaft 8|.

The straw hopper and feeding mechanism also involves improvements of m invention and by reference to Figs. 1, '1 and 8 it will be seen that the ho per I09 is mounted rigidly on the supports 2m and has fixed side walls I61 and 9, laterally adjustable side wall I64 So that the same hopper can be used forv long as well as short straws accordingly as the wall I64 is held against adjacent end wall I 61 or spaced therefrom (Fig. 1). The wall I64 is supnortedfrom the ad acent wall I81 by bolts 2I2 and spacing sleeves III I. The bottom of the hopper inclines downwardly and extends beyond the side walls I61 as,

at I35 to contact the discs I4, I5 and I6 (Fig. 8). Each side wall I64, I61 has a hole I66 through which passes the brush carrying shaft I on which suitably spaced brushes I84 are adjustably mounted.

The brush-carrying shaft I65 is journalled in 8 bearings of adjustable-angle levers I68-I69 that are pivoted on studs I10 on the outer faces of the sides I61 (Figs. 1 and '1).

A shaft I12 is journalled in bearing bosses I1I on the sides I61 and passes through the hopper parallel to the shaft I65. The shaft I12 has seats I9I in which agitator fingers I90 are secured by screws and washers I92. An arm I13 is secured to shaft I12 and carries a roller I14 that is held by a spring I83 in engagement with a triangle cam I15 that is mounted on shaft I65. A belt pulley I16 is also mounted on shaft I65.

A standard I11 carries a pin I18 that has an eccentric shaft I19 on which two loose belt pulleys I are mounted side by side. An endless belt I82 pasess around a pulley IBI on shaft 8|, over pulleys I80 and around pulley I16 for driving shaft I65 and effecting operation of rock shaft By reference to Figs. 1 and 8 it will be seen that angle plates I66 are secured to one wall I61 and to the wall I04. These plates parallel the extended portion I85 of the hopper bottom and are spaced from the same slightly more than the diameter of a straw. The outeredge I81 of each plate I86 is curved down overhanging the edge I85 so as to lie sufficiently close to the discs I4, I5 and It to prevent passage of a straw between the peripheries of the discs and the plates I81. The rear ends of the plates I86 are bent upwardly as at I88 and parts cut away as at I89 to clear the agitator fingers I90.

I93 illustrates the mandrel about which the; continuous wrapper is formed and longitudinally sealed by the knurling wheels I94 and I95. The wheel I95 is carried on a shaft I96 journalled in bearings I98 supported on the head block 4 and driven at a predetermined speed by means of worm gears I91, I99 via a countershaft 200 that is mounted in a bearing in a support 20I mounted .on the head block 4. The shaft 200 has a spur gear 204 that meshes with a larger gear 203 on a shaft 202. The shaft is suitably driven in harmony with the printing and paper feeding mechanism in any desired way.

Referring now to Fi s. 1 and 3 it will be seen that the mandrel I93 is provided adjacent, but in advance of, the knurling or crimping wheel I94, and carries a suitable paper folder I53 through which the paper strip is threaded and formed into a tubular structure. The mandrel I93 is held at I51, to a block I54 having a passage through which the paper strip is fed beneath the mandrel to the folder I53 and over the guide I62 which is pivoted in a forked block I60 that is held by a set screw I6I in the socket 205 of a bracket 206 attached to support head 4. The bracket 206 also has a socket 201 in which theshank I56 of the block I54 is held by a set screw I51. Abar I58 is secured to block I54 and carries an adjusting screw I59 by which mandrel I93 maybe levelled or tilted as desired, mandrel I93 being pivotedto pin I51 on a horizontal axis as at 208. p I

Resilient wires 209 are mounted on the wrapper restraining guides 19 to hold the wrappers and straws therein in place on the carrier while the sockets 21 are being withdrawn. As these wires are noto'f my invention no claim thereto is made herein. 7

Operation The continuous strip of paper from the print ing mechanism (not shown) is fed through the opening in block I54 and around mandrel I 93.

through the folder I53 which overlaps the longitudinal edges and passes the same between the knurling or crimping wheels I94 and I95 where the overlapped edges are crimped together forming a continuous wrapper.

Referring now to Figs. 11 to 14, 1 and 1 it will be seen that when the rotary carrier'is in the position shown in Fig. 11, the wrapper receiving member 9 of leg A will be empty, the straw slide I 9 corresponding therewith will be all the way back, the straw pusher 2I will be about-two-thirds the way back, the cutting mechanism will be all the way back with its scissors all the Way open.

As the leg A passes from the position shown in Fig. '11 and is about to reach the position Fig. 12, the scissors begin to close and start their advance, the cutting off of a length of wrapper occurs and the lower blade I05 impells the cut length of wrapper into the catcher, the scissors reaching their fully advanced position (Fig. 1 at thetime leg A reaches the position of Fig. 12. The cutting action of the scissors is almost instantaneous so theblades I05 are fully separated by the time leg A reaches position Fig. 12.

As leg A leaves the position Fig. 11 catcher I6 starts to swing down and by the time it reaches position Fig. 12 the cut wrapper will have been deposited in the catcher.

Passing from the position shown in Fig. 1'1 to that shown in Fig. 12 the slide I9 corresponding to leg A starts to advance, while straw pusher 21 associated with that slide continues to move backward (right to left in Fig. 1) so that by the time leg A reaches the position of leg B in Fig.

11, the pusher will be all the way back (by this time also the slide I9 will have advanced about one-half way). As soon as the pusher ZI is all the way back straws from the hopper IE3 are placed in the slide I9. In passing from the position Fig. 13 to the position of Fig. 14 the wrapper W is carried out of the catcher which catcher thereafter starts to swing up again to the position of Figs. 11 and 14.

By the time leg A reaches the position of leg C in Fig. 11 the slide I9 will have fully advanced and bell portion 21 will have been placed over the advance end of the wrapper and the other. wrapper end pushed loosely against the abutment 8i! and thus the wrapper is centered in the carrier. Also at this time the scissors will be all the way back (moving from left to right in Fig. 1

As leg A reaches the position of leg C in Fig. H the straw pusher ZI wil be pushing the straws into the wrapper via member 21. The slide I9 remains in the fully advanced position until'the leg A reaches the position of leg E in Fig. 11 whereupon it starts to recede. The straw pusher continues. forward until leg A reaches the position' of leg E and then starts back with the slide I9. Both the slide I9 and pusher 2I reach their farthest back positions about the time leg A reaches the position of leg F in Fig. 11. As leg Aapproaches the position of leg E in Fig. 1'1 and before slide I9 starts back the filled wrap per in carrier 9 will be held in the carrierby the spring 209 long enough for the member 2! to be withdrawn from the end of. the filled. wrapper.

On leg A passing from the position'of leg E in Fig. 14 the ends of the, wrapper are passed between the end sealing, crimping or knurling rollers 61 and 49 and securely crimped shut, after which the filled wrappers are removed (as in-theToolan machine) by the arm 42 and de- -ceiver opens radially outward;

posited'on the rods .55 and slid into the receiving hopper 59. It should be understood. that the running of shaft 202 is timed to harmonize with the running of the shafts 8|, 5 and 39 and the. remaining parts of the machine.

From the foregoing description taken with the accompanyingdrawings it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a straw packaging machine wherein is provided a rotating wrapper carrier; means to form continuous Wrappers, cut them in predetermined lengths and deliver the cut lengths to the wrapper carrier: the invention which includes a wrapper carrier and a wrapper catcher for receiving the cut lengths and placing them in the wrapper carrier, said carrier having spaced-apart arms carrying wrapper receivers of semi-tubular form the following edge of each of which lies at a greater distance from the axial center of the wrapper carrier than does the leading edge of the same and the mouth of the recatcher including pivoted arms having semitubular wrapper catching elements, the mouth of each of which opens approximately in a horizontal direction and whose leading edge lies lower than the following edge; and means for swinging said catcher from araised position to receive the wrapper to a lowered position to place the wrapper in the wrapper carrier.

2. In a straw packaging machine an improved rotatable wrapper carrier Which includes ashaft, spiders mounted on said shaft each of which spiders includes a plurality'of radially disposed arms having a bifurcated wrapper-receiving member at its outer end, said bifurcated member comprising semi-tubular members each having its'leading edge spaced a lesser distance from said shaft than its following edge is spaced from i the same.

3. In a straw packaging machine an improved rotatable wrapper carrier which includes a shaft, spiders mounted on said shaft each of which spiders includes a plurality of radially disposed arms having a bifurcated wrapper-receiving member at its outer end, said bifurcated member comprising semi-tubular members each having its leading edge spaced a lesser distance from said shaft than its following edge is spaced from the same, in combination with a wrapper catcher which includes an arm pivoted at one side of said wrapper carrier, a rod. carried by said arm and located beyond the periphery of said wrapper carrier, wrapper catchers mounted on said rod.

and each having an element operable between the furcations of said wrapper receiving members, said elements each 'comprisinga. semitubular body having itsoutlet disposed for the discharge of the wrappers therefrom by the engagement of the wrappers by the following edges of said wrapper-receiving members.

4. In a machine of the class described wherein is provided a rotary wrapper carrier having spaced apart wrapper-receiving members and wherein is provided filled wrapper delivering means that receives wrappers from said carrier and includes a rotatable shaft and a fixed shaft adjacent to the rotary shaft; the invention which includes arms pivoted on said fixed shaft, a cam on said rotatable shaft for rocking said arms in one direction, a spring continuously tending to rock said arms in a reverse direction, and a wrapsaid wrapper per catcher secured to and movable with said Number arms to deliver wrappers bodily to said wrapper- 1,063,387 receiving members. 1,252,562 JOHN B. WEST. 2,014,227 2,068,407 REFERENCES CITED 2 146 490 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 229,238 Number Name Date 366,187 Richards July 5, 1887 944,555 Holden Dec. 28, 1909 10 Name Date Ricker et a1 June 3, 1913 Fassinger Jan. 8, 1918 "Conti Sept. 10, 1935 Goldstein et al. Jan. 19, 1937 Toolan Feb. 7, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 2, 1925 

